Extra Points: NFLPA, Mayo, Van Pelt, Raiders
The NFL Players Association has formally filed a grievance against the league challenging the NFL’s new personal conduct policy, which was adopted in December despite the NFLPA’s objections, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. The union contends that it didn’t have an opportunity to collectively bargain many key points of the new policy, arguing that the policy violates the CBA and that it was adopted “without the consent, and over the objections, of the NFLPA.”
While we wait to see what comes of the union’s grievance, let’s round up several items from across the NFL….
- Injured Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo has been prioritizing his rehabilitation after a season-ending knee injury, and fully intends to get back on the field in 2015, but he has also developed an interest in coaching during his time spent on injured reserve, writes Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. “I’m just trying to learn as much as I can,” Mayo said. “If I do choose to go down that road, hopefully I can apply some of these principles that I’ve learned from coach [Bill] Belichick in my coaching career.”
- While a previous report revealed the Packers turned down the Rams’ request to speak to Alex Van Pelt about their offensive coordinator job, St. Louis wasn’t the only team rebuffed by Green Bay. According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), the Jaguars and Bears were also denied permission to interview Van Pelt.
- The Raiders have officially confirmed a handful of new additions to Jack Del Rio’s staff, announcing in a press release that they’ve hired Todd Downing (QB coach), Marcus Robertson (DB coach), Sal Sunseri (LB coach), and Mike Tice (OL coach).
- The Jets also announced several new assistants in addition to their new coordinators. According to the team, Mike Caldwell (assistant HC/ILB coach), Mark Collins (OLB coach), Joe Danna (DB/S coach), and Karl Dorrell (WR coach) are among the new arrivals.
- Dolphins general manager Dennis Hickey isn’t phased by the fact that 2015 could be a make-or-break season for him and head coach Joe Philbin, suggesting that he approaches every season as if it’s make-or-break, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
- The Texans have made some front office changes, promoting Jon Carr to director of college scouting and hiring Matt Jansen to the new position of college scouting coordinator, per John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter links).
- We learned yesterday that Kansas State wide receiver Tyler Lockett met with the Dolphins at the Senior Bowl, but Miami is far from the only team to interview Lockett. The wideout, who is generating plenty of buzz in Mobile, tells James Walker of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that he spoke to 28 NFL teams this week.
AFC East Notes: Brady, Marrone, Polian, Jets
Speaking to the media on Thursday afternoon, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady adamantly denied that he had any involvement in the deflating of footballs during New England’s victory over the Colts in Sunday’s AFC Championship game. “I didn’t alter the ball in any way,” said Brady. “…I was surprised as anyone on Monday morning when I heard what was happening…I have no knowledge of anything…I’m very comfortable saying that” (Twitter links via Albert Breer of NFL.com). Furthermore, Brady stated that NFL has not yet contacted him as part of their investigation, but allowed that they might do so, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) — per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), Brady would be the last person the NFL speaks to, based on Rapoport’s knowledge of the how the league conducts its probes. Here’s more from the AFC East, including a little more on DeflateGate:
- Patriots head coach Bill Belichick also spoke to reporters earlier today, and one league source found it “shocking” that Belichick shifted the focus of the scandal to Brady, tweets Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Of course, Belichick didn’t accuse Brady of anything improper, but he did say that “quarterbacks…know a lot more than I do,” which struck many as odd.
- Some league insiders believe that ex-Bills coach (and current Jaguars OL coach) Doug Marrone and Jacksonville executive Chris Polian could be a head coach/general manager pairing in 2016, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link via Mike Rodak).
- Packers assistant offensive line coach Steve Marshall is expected to join the Jets, presumably continuing to work with the offensive line, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter).
- Kansas State receiver Tyler Lockett interviewed with the Dolphins on Wednesday, and the former Wildcat says the meeting went well, per James Walker of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Zach Links contributed to this post.
AFC South Notes: Chudzinski, Texans, Jags
After blocking interview requests from the Rams and 49ers, assistant Rob Chudzinski could take on a greater role on the Colts‘ staff, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). Head coach Chuck Pagano is very high on the former Browns head coach but La Canfora (link) is curious to see whether he re-signs with the club on January 31st when his contract expires of if he’ll seek opportunities elsewhere. More from the AFC South..
- One of the Texans‘ top priorities during the offseason will be re-signing their most prominent players who are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents on March 10th, writes John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. Houston would like to retain cornerback Kareem Jackson, offensive tackle Derek Newton, and outside linebacker Brooks Reed, but if they’re unsuccessful, they’ll have to find replacements in free agency or the draft. Re-signing quarterback Ryan Mallett is another priority, even though the Texans are expected to pursue another QB who fits with what coach Bill O’Brien and quarterbacks coach George Godsey want to accomplish.
- The Jaguars are seeking a pass-rushing Leo defensive end and a run-stuffing, pass-rush threat at Otto linebacker, Hays Carlyon of The Florida-Times Union writes. Luckily for Jacksonville, it’s a good class for that. “It’s one of the best drafts I’ve seen recently for edge rushers,” NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said. “Some are 3-4 guys, some are 4-3 and some can do both. Some juniors that aren’t here are really gifted and will be at the top end. It’s one of the deepest outside linebacker/defensive end groups that we’ve seen in a while.” Louisville’s Lorenzo Mauldin, Oklahoma’s Geneo Grissom, Arkansas’ Trey Flowers, Missouri’s Markus Golden, and Norfolk State’s Lynden Trail could be of interest to the Jags.
- Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union looked at three defensive tackles that could appeal to the Jaguars in the draft.
Jaguars Hire Greg Olson As OC
WEDNESDAY, 9:49am: As expected, the Jaguars have made their hiring of Olson official today, announcing that he is the team’s new offensive coordinator (Twitter link via John Oehser of Jaguars.com).
TUESDAY, 8:24pm: The Jaguars are expected to name Olson as their new offensive coordinator on Wednesday, according to DiRocco (on Twitter).
7:42pm: Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears that the Jags will not hire an offensive coordinator tonight.
4:42pm: Gus Bradley claims that he has yet to offer the job to anyone, according to Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times Union (on Twitter).
2:55pm: The NFL’s annual version of musical chairs continues today, as former Raiders offensive coordinator Greg Olson has landed a new job, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). La Canfora reports that, after an extensive search, the Jaguars are hiring Olson to become their new offensive coordinator.
Olson’s two-year stint with the Raiders wasn’t overly successful, with his offense finishing in the bottom five in the NFL in DVOA both years, including 30th overall in 2014. Still, Olson didn’t have a ton of talent to work with in Oakland — in 2013, Terrelle Pryor and Matt McGloin split time at quarterback, and this past season, second-round rookie Derek Carr took the reins, with James Jones and Andre Holmes acting as his top receivers.
In Jacksonville, where he coached quarterbacks in 2012 prior to joining the Raiders, Olson will work with another 2014 draftee, in third overall pick Blake Bortles. There’s plenty of uncertainty heading into the offseason in Jacksonville as well, with Cecil Shorts eligible for free agency and Bortles having struggled in his rookie year. However, there’s also some young talent on the roster, including Denard Robinson, Allen Hurns, Allen Robinson, and Marqise Lee.
Besides talking to Olson, the Jaguars also interviewed several other candidates as they searched for a replacement for Jedd Fisch. Adam Gase, Nathaniel Hackett, Greg Olson, Anthony Lynn, and Kirby Wilson are among the interviewees who are still available and whom Olson beat out. The biggest surprise in the bunch is Gase — he was viewed a strong candidate for the team, particularly after the Ravens elected to hire Marc Trestman as their offensive coordinator.
The hiring of Olson is the second major addition to the offensive staff today by the Jaguars, who also reached an agreement with Doug Marrone to become the team’s assistant head coach and offensive line coach.
Ravens Hire Marc Trestman As OC
3:31pm: It’ll be a three-year agreement for Trestman and the Ravens, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
2:31pm: Marc Trestman, who was let go by the Bears at season’s end, has become the third 2014 head coach today to land a new job with another team. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Trestman will replace Gary Kubiak in Baltimore, having been hired as the Ravens’ new offensive coordinator.
Despite a nightmarish season in Chicago which saw Jay Cutler under fire from critics and resulted in Trestman losing his job, the Bears’ offense actually ranked in the top half of the league in DVOA, finishing 14th after placing sixth in 2013. The offense never fully came together and produced consistently in 2014, but Trestman had success with Cutler and Josh McCown the year before, and Chicago’s poor defensive play played a larger part in the team’s overall struggles than the offense did.
After being fired by the Bears, Trestman reportedly interviewed with the Jaguars and Browns, and was mentioned as a possible target for a couple other clubs in the market for an offensive coordinator. While his disappointing stint with the Bears didn’t earn him interviews for other head coaching jobs, the 59-year-old still has a strong resumé as an offensive coach, having previously acted as the offensive coordinator for the Browns, 49ers, Cardinals, and Raiders.
Once it became clear that Kubiak was headed to Denver to become the Broncos’ new head coach, the Ravens reportedly identified Adam Gase and Rick Dennison as potential offensive coordinator candidates. However, Dennison followed Kubiak to the Broncos to become the new OC in Denver. As for Gase, a report earlier this week indicated that he was likely to land with either the Ravens or Jaguars, so perhaps Baltimore’s hiring of Trestman opens the door for Gase to land in Jacksonville — he still has multiple suitors though.
Besides Trestman, former Bills head coach Doug Marrone and ex-Raiders head coach Dennis Allen have also found new jobs today, reaching agreements with the Jaguars and Saints respectively, in assistant roles.
Jaguars Hire Doug Marrone
11:50am: The Jaguars have officially announced Marrone’s hiring in a press release.
10:58am: Former Bills head coach Doug Marrone has found a new job with another AFC team, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union, who reports (via Twitter) that the Jaguars have hired Marrone. Per O’Halloran, Marrone’s title in Jacksonville will be assistant head coach and offensive line coach, so it seems the club is still looking for an offensive coordinator to replace Jedd Fisch.
Marrone, who led the Bills to a 9-7 record in 2014, narrowly missing a playoff spot, opted out of his contract following the team’s final regular season game. Marrone’s agreement with the Bills allowed him to receive his full $4MM salary for 2015 despite the fact that he’s no longer coaching the team.
When Marrone made his decision to opt out, there was some speculation that he may have another opportunity lined up, but it doesn’t appear that was the case. The former Bills coach interviewed with the Falcons, Bears, Jets, and – according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (Twitter link) – the 49ers for their head coaching openings, and also had a meeting lined up with the Broncos before he canceled it. All five teams ultimately went in other directions.
As Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com observes (via Twitter), the Jaguars still technically have offensive line coach George Yarno under contract, in addition to Marrone. However, Yarno won’t coach in 2015, as he continues to battle cancer.
OC Notes: Rams, Ravens, Gase, Bears
Many teams still have openings for their offensive coordinator position, writes Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). With seven openings still needed to be filled, he notes that there will be a lot of competition for the top candidates.
Of the seven jobs Zrebiec believes still need to be filled, he has not counted the Falcons, who filled their position last night despite not having a head coach, and the Jets, who have been strongly linked to Chan Gailey (via Twitter).
For a full list of all coordinator hirings and firings check out our Offensive/Devensive Coordinator Tracker.
Here are some notes about potential offensive coordinator hires:
- The Rams have requested permission to speak with Colts assistant coach Rob Chudzinski regarding their offensive coordinator opening, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
- The Rams have also sought permission to interview Packers quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt for the OC opening, reports Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter).
- The Ravens are currently interested in a number of candidates, and a list of possibilities has been compiled by Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. The guy he puts as the front runner right now is former Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase, who has led record breaking offenses in Denver with Peyton Manning.
- Gase is expected to eventually land with either the Ravens or Jaguars, reports Rapoport (via Twitter). He will interview with the Ravens soon.
- The Bears have asked for permission to interview Lions quarterbacks coach Jim Bob Cooter for their open offensive coordinator position, reports Rapoport (via Twitter). Unfortunately for them, the Lions have denied permission.
Coordinator Updates: Kiffin, Gase, Musgrave
Let’s take a look at a few notes regarding various coordinator vacancies:
- ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin has emerged as the favorite to land the 49ers offensive coordinator opening, with Colts special assistant Rob Chudzinski also under consideration.
- Citing ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson tweets that Eagles QB coach Bill Musgrave has become a “hot contender” for the Raiders‘ offensive coordinator position.
- Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Jim Schwartz will be very selective in choosing his next job, as he has two contract years left. CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora adds (via Twitter) that he would not be surprised if Schwartz sat out the 2015 season altogether, though things may have been different if the Cowboys‘ defensive coordinator job had become available.
- Rapoport tweets that Adam Gase is interviewing with the Jaguars today regarding their offensive coordinator vacancy, but he reiterates that the Raiders, Rams, Falcons, and Bears all have permission to talk to Gase. La Canfora, though, tweets that he would be surprised to see Gase land with Chicago or Oakland, where he would be reunited with former Denver coaches.
- The Falcons are impressed with Gase, whom Teryl Austin would bring with him if Austin were hired as Atlanta’s head coach, according to a tweet from La Canfora. Although we heard earlier today that Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has established himself as the presumptive favorite for the Falcons’ head coaching vacancy, La Canfora tweets that, if Seattle wins today, Atlanta will have to weigh the risks of waiting two weeks to hire Quinn and possibly missing out on top coaching candidates like Gase.
AFC Notes: Jaguars, Gase, Bills, Jets
On the eve of championship Sunday, let’s take a look at a few items from across the AFC….
- We heard yesterday that the Jaguars were looking to speak to Adam Gase about their offensive coordinator job, and Michael Silver of NFL.com reports today (via Twitter) that Jacksonville will indeed get a chance to interview the Broncos OC.
- The Bills have reached a two-year deal with former Jets assistant Sanjay Lal to become their wide receivers coach, a source tells ESPN’s John Clayton (link via Mike Rodak).
- Seth Walder of the New York Daily News lists six moves that new general manager Mike Maccagnan must make in order to point the Jets in the right direction.
- The Chiefs narrowly missed the playoffs in 2014, and are watching as Andrew Luck and the Colts – a team they nearly beat in the postseason a year ago – advance to the AFC Championship game. Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star uses the opportunity to compare the Chiefs to the Colts, taking a look at how the right offseason moves could help Kansas City take the next step in 2015.
- Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN has projected Oregon star and Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota to be selected by the Titans with the second pick of the draft. However, the fit would be awkward, as head coach Ken Whisenhunt traditionally prefers pocket passers in order to run his offense, writes Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com.
- The Browns could use receiver help next season, especially with Josh Gordon playing inconsistently since returning from suspension this season, and the team could target Jaguars pass catcher Cecil Shorts this offseason, writes Steve Doerschuk of CantonRep.com. Shorts would be an affordable option, and could relish the opportunity to move closer to home in Cleveland.
Rob DiRe contributed to this post.
AFC Mailbags: Jets, Chiefs, Jags, Titans
We took a look at ESPN’s NFC mailbags earlier today. Let’s now check out some notes from the AFC…
- Cornerback is the Jets biggest need heading into the offseason, and Rich Cimini expects the team to add a veteran such as Antonio Cromartie or Kareem Jackson.
- Chan Gailey‘s experience with the spread offense could increase the Jets’ chances of drafting quarterback Marcus Mariota, writes Cimini.
- Adam Teicher believes Albert Wilson and De’Anthony Thomas are the Chiefs wideouts most likely to return next season. Meanwhile, the writer says backup linebacker Joe Mays could be a cap casualty.
- Michael DiRocco guesses that Greg Olson and Nathaniel Hackett are the favorites for the Jaguars‘ offensive coordinator opening.
- Looking towards the impending free agency of Cowboys stars DeMarco Murray and Dez Bryant, Paul Kuharsky writes that the Titans should avoid the running back and only pursue the star wideout.
- Coley Harvey can envision the Bengals going two ways with their first-rounder: an offensive tackle or a pass-rusher.